2. Microsoft Bob
You can't say that Microsoft didn't try to innovate, and the infamously awful Microsoft Bob is a prime example.
Released in 1995, before Windows 95 existed, Microsoft Bob was Microsoft's answer to making the home computer more accessible to consumers. It did away with the need for MS DOS, Windows, or the idea of navigating drives and discs.
Instead, Microsoft Bob presented you with a home inside of your computer. Here you could find rooms that could be redecorated, rearranged, or just completely removed. These rooms would mimic those of a home, containing a kitchen, bedroom, hallway, etc.
Items in MS Bob would mirror those in the computer, so clicking on a clock would open Windows Clock, a calendar represents Windows' calendar, a pen and paper represents the word processor, and so forth. It was incredibly customisable for the time, offering users a way to rebuild their home experience as they liked it.
The issue is, as we're sure you can imagine, it was terrible. Experienced PC users thought it horrible, and you're more general consumer just didn't see the appeal to having a cartoon house inside their computer.
In fact, the only legacy Bob had was its doggy mascot Rover, which reappeared in Windows XP as the search assistant.
If you're still curious, you can watch a tutorial of MS Bob below.
Next: the worst idea in tech history
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